Biology

Tauros is a quadruped, bovine Pokémon. It is covered in light brown fur with a thick, darker brown mane around the neck. It has a rounded muzzle with a dark brown nose, and three gray bumps running vertically down its forehead. A pair of curved, gray horns grows from atop its head. Each of its three black tails has a tuft of fur on the end, and there is a single gray hoof on each foot. Tauros is a male-only species with no true female counterpart.

Tauros is a violent, rowdy Pokémon that whips itself into a frenzy using its three tails. Once it starts charging, it is unable to stop or change course until it hits something. It lives and travels in herds on plains and grasslands. It will lock horns with others of its kind, and the herd's protector takes pride in its battle-scarred horns.

In the anime

Tauros in the anime

Major appearances

Ash captured a herd of 30 Tauros in EP035, an episode which became banned in multiple countries due to use of guns, leading to confusion for many as to how he obtained them. The first time Ash ever used any of his Tauros in a battle was against Drake of the Orange Islands in Hello Pummelo.

Other

Many Tauros were seen in Tricks of the Trade in Palmpona Town, including one under Fernando, the Trainer who managed ten consecutive victories in the tournament. Ash brought his from Oak's for this occasion as well, managing to defeat Fernando.

Trivia

Tauros forms a notable bug in Pokémon Play It!, a game largely based on the Trading Card Game. Once the "Tauros" card appears, either in the player's own deck or that of the digital opponent, the game will shut down or freeze the computer.

Origin

Name origin

Tauros is an abbreviation of its Japanese name, Kentauros. It is worth noting that Taurus, Latin for bull (which comes from the Greek "tauros"), is also the name of a constellation. Tauros could also be a corruption of Toro (Spanish for bull).

Kentauros is derived from Japanese ケンタウロス centaur, which itself derives from Greek Κένταυρος. It could also be a corruption of Centaurus, a large south-sky constellation representing a centaur.